MUMBAI: Discovery Communications is all set to become the biggest pay-TV operator outside US following its acquisition of German media company ProSiebenSat.1 Group?s SBS Nordic operations and strategic partnership with French media company TF1/Eurosport.

Discovery has signed a definitive agreement with ProSiebenSat.1 Group to purchase the company?s SBS Nordic operations for a total enterprise value of approximately $1.7 billion (?1.325 billion).

The acquisition of SBS Nordic includes 12 television networks in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, among other assets, and further solidifies Discovery?s long-term growth in the strong Nordic TV markets.
 
The deal also expands Discovery?s brand portfolio by adding general entertainment, scripted and sports programming to the company?s suite of services for the first time. The transaction is subject to regulatory review and is expected to close in early 2013.

"SBS Nordic has a fully distributed portfolio of dual revenue stream networks with a terrific management team that will expand Discovery?s footprint across the Nordic region, which includes some of the most well-penetrated and stable TV markets in the world,? said Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav.

Additionally, Discovery also announced that its Board of Directors has approved a $1 billion increase to its existing stock repurchase program.

Sports broadcasting play

TF1 and Discovery Communications have said that they have taken the next step in their negotiations aimed at forging a strategic alliance which will see Discovery taking a 20 per cent minority interest in the Eurosport group, the parent company of Eurosport International and Eurosport France.

The acquisition of the 20 per cent interest would involve cash consideration of approximately ?170 million ($221.6 million).

A relationship between Eurosport and Discovery Communications would unlock synergies and complementary capabilities, particularly at the European level, in content (sports programming, entertainment, documentaries) and in development opportunities (geographical expansion, new product launches, digital rollout), the company said in statement.

Discovery also would have the possibility of raising its interest to 51 per cent in two years? time. If Discovery exercised its option, TF1 would have the ability to exercise a put option over the remaining 49 per cent, which potentially would give Discovery full ownership.

Discovery would become a shareholder in the TV Breizh, Histoire, Ushua?a TV and Styl?a channels, with a 20 per cent interest in each for a cash consideration of approximately ?14 million ($18.2 million) with the ability to increase to 49 per cent in two years.

The alliance also would aim to enhance the output of documentary, magazine and current affairs channels in order to offer French distributors a flagship range of theme channels built around the content and brand portfolios of the two groups.

In the production field, the proposed alliance would pave the way for the production of magazine and documentary programs of international standing via TF1 Production.

An agreement is expected to be signed in the coming weeks, once the relevant employee representative bodies have been consulted.

?Individually, and taken together, the acquisition of SBS Nordic, our pending strategic partnership with TF1 through the acquisition of a minority stake in Eurosport, and the increase in our share repurchase program are all complementary to our long-term growth strategy of delivering sustained operating results, creating strong organic growth through investment in content, brands and talent, and returning capital to shareholders," Zaslav said.

MUMBAI: US infotainment channel Discovery Channel has announced its order to production of the network?s first-ever, scripted mini-series titled ?Klondike? (wt).

The mini-series, based on Charlotte Gray?s novel ?Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich in the Klondike?, brings to life the tale about six strangers and their collective fight for survival and wealth in a small, frontier town in the remote Klondike.

The show is a co-production between Discovery, Entertainment One Television (eOne) and Nomadic Pictures in association with Scott Free Television. Paul Scheuring is the primary writer and will serve as Executive Producer, along with Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker; as well as John Morayniss and Michael Rosenberg for eOne; Mike Frislev and Chad Oakes will serve as co-producers for Nomadic.

Josh Goldin and Rachel Abramowitz are also writing episodes as Consulting Producers. Eileen O?Neill and Dolores Gavin will serve as executive producers for Discovery.

Discovery, TLC Networks group president Eileen O?Neill said, "We?ve been developing scripted for some time, but wanted to find the perfect fit. When we read Gold Diggers, we knew we finally found it. Discovery created and owns the ?gold? narrative with several of our hit series and we?re elated to partner with Scott Free Television and eOne Television on a subject we know so well as our first, scripted project."

Filmmaker Ridley Scott said, "Klondike was the last great Gold Rush; one which triggered a flood of prospectors ill-equipped, emotionally or otherwise, for the extreme and grueling conditions of the remote Yukon wilderness. The personal adventures are as epic as the landscape, where ambition, greed, sex and murder, as well as their extraordinary efforts to literally strike it rich, are all chronicled by a young Jack London himself."

One Television CEO John Morayniss said, "eOne is delighted to be working with Discovery as they make their foray into scripted television as well as join forces for the first time ever with Scott Free and continue our relationship with Nomadic Pictures. We?re looking forward to sharing this innovative adaptation of a well-known era, and sharing this epic mini-series with audiences around the world."

?Klondike? follows the lives of two childhood best friends, Bill and Epstein, in the late 1890s as they undertake the next, Gold Rush capital in the untamed Yukon Territory. This man-versus-nature tale places our heroes in a land full of undiscovered wealth, but ravaged by harsh conditions, unpredictable weather and desperate, dangerous characters including greedy businessmen, seductive courtesans and native tribes witnessing the destruction of their people and land by opportunistic entrepreneurs.

Production begins in March 2013 on location in Alberta, Canada. The series will be produced with assistance of the Government of Alberta, Alberta Film Development Program. International distribution will be handled by eOne Television.

MUMBAI: Discovery Channel said it will premiere the second season of its acclaimed series Curiosity from 17 December.

The American documentary television series that launched last year in India will air from Monday to Friday, at 8 pm.

Curiosity, according to the channel, is the biggest show of Discovery and is a brainchild of its founder-chairman John Hendricks

The series aims to answers questions and mysteries in fields like space, biology, geology, medicine, physics, technology, nature, archaeology, history, and the human mind.

Announcing the new season, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific SVP and GM South Asia Rahul Johri said, ?Discovery Channel promises to take viewers on a fascinating voyage of exploration through a new season of Curiosity. This unique and engaging series will stir the imagination of our audience, bravely asking questions and fearlessly seeking answers.?

The new season of Curiosity features many firsts in television history, starting with no less than a big bang by purposely remote control crashing a Boeing 737 airplane along with an unprecedented number of cameras, crash test dummies and science experiments on board.

MUMBAI: The US-based non-fiction broadcaster Discovery has strengthened its presence in the Middle East by announcing an agreement to acquire Dubai-based media company Takhayal Entertainment and its affiliated companies in Dubai and Egypt, including its flagship TV food network, Fatafeat.

The parties are in final stages of formalising the transfer with the competent authorities. The announcement was made by Takhayal CEO Youssef El-Deeb and Discovery Networks International CEO Mark Hollinger.

The transaction is a targeted step by Discovery to further extend its reach in the growing Middle East and North Africa television market, and to further complement and strengthen its existing portfolio of female-targeted lifestyle pay TV brands, including TLC and Real Time, which are now available in more than 150 countries outside the US. The acquisition will also provide access to a vast library of cooking recipes and shows and the company?s production facility.

Hollinger said, "Discovery?s guiding principle has always been to customise our strategy on a region-by-region and market-by-market basis to build the strongest global nonfiction media company bar none. The acquisition of Takhayal, the premier company for cuisine and culinary programming in the Middle East, significantly strengthens our portfolio in this important region and adds content in a genre that has proven popular with our viewers around the globe, including on Real Time in Italy and the UK and on TLC in Poland, Latin America and India.

Takhayal?s executives, such as Youssef El-Deeb are exceptionally smart and creative and we look forward to working with them to leverage Takhayal?s strong position in the Arab-speaking world and take Discovery?s female-targeted lifestyle content even deeper into the marketplace."

Takhayal CEO Youssef El-Deeb said, "We have had great success with our TV brand Fatafeat, which has become one of the leading TV channels in the Middle East since it launched five years ago, and our slogan ?Al Hayat Helwa? (Life is Wonderful) which has been the driving force across our business and we are excited by how the rich expertise of Discovery will enable us to take the business to the next level. We are very honoured to become part of Discovery Communications.

"The core expertise of our team is its great creativity and dedication, and this combination has enabled us to achieve very clear brand positioning and stand out amongst the hundreds of Arab TV channels as the leading the lifestyle brand across the Middle East."

Fatafeat broadcasts to approximately 55 million TV households in the Middle East and North Africa and the in-house studio contains a library of 700 hours of programs, which is added to by 150-200 new hours each year. The popular line-up of shows includes Teslam El Ayadi (family cooking show), Matbakhna El Arabi (Our Arabian Cuisine hosted by chef, Mohammad Orfali), Shourba Wi Naknaka (Soups and Snacks), Houriyat Al Matbakh (Arabic and international cooking) and Wala Bil Ahlam (?Dream Desserts? from Egyptian award winning chef, Nermine Hanno).

MUMBAI: Infotainment broadcaster Discovery will kick off the show ?Gator Boys? on 19 November at 10 pm.

Gator Boys involves the death-defying exploits of Paul Bedard and Jimmy Riffle, two alligator trappers who risk injury and death to hand-capture nuisance alligators that have invaded the back yards, swimming pools, garages and bedrooms of Florida Everglades residents.

Bedard and Riffle are two fearless enthusiasts and they?ve become Florida?s most dependable guys when local residents find themselves crossing paths with deadly 1,000-pound reptiles in shocking locations. The goal of Gator Boys? Alligator Rescue Team is to capture nuisance gators with their bare hands and move them to safety before rival trappers, who kill and sell the animals for their skin and meat, get to them. Viewers will follow every crazy adventure and sticky situation these death-defying partners encounter.

Alligators are Florida?s ultimate predator. Alligators used to be present in abundance in South Florida, with the Everglades stretching as far as the eye could see, but times have changed; today there?s an on-going struggle between man and beast. These reptiles can easily flatter your skull, crush your head, break your neck or drown you.

The ?Gator Boys? get to action, defending blameless gators and other wildlife displaced by urban sprawl and keeping people safe from these unpredictable animals. With 30 years of wild-animal experience between them, the guys run an animal facility in the Everglades, where they educate and entertain the public using a menagerie of ferocious creatures they?ve captured in populated areas.

It takes serious skill to do this guy?s job, and Paul is known for his personality and expertise, capturing any-sized gator underwater with his bare hands. He?s a record-breaking triathlete who spends his off season heading up ?Gator Boys Alligator Rescue? side by side with Jimmy. Despite brother-like bickering between the two, Jimmy looks to Paul as a mentor since they met while Jimmy was alligator wrestling at only 11-years-old! Paul is quick to tell anyone that today, ?Jimmy is the best gator wrestler in the world.?

Viewers will see Paul and Jimmy hard at work, rescuing and wrangling gators from unlikely places and saving people from many precarious situations.

MUMBAI: US non-fiction media company Discovery has reported fiscal-third quarter revenue of $1,076 million, marginally down from the year-ago period, as seven per cent growth at International Networks was offset by four per cent decline at US Networks primarily due to additional revenues in the prior year from extending and expanding certain licensing agreements.

Adjusted Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortisation (AOIBDA) grew by four per cent to $498 million, driven by an 11 per cent increase at International Networks and a two per cent increase at US Networks that included the impact of licensing agreements partially offset by higher content impairment costs in the prior year.

Third quarter net income from continuing operations available to Discovery stockholders of $214 million decreased $26 million compared to $240 million for the third quarter a year ago as the strong operating performance in the current year was more than offset by the impact of foreign currency fluctuations, increased mark-to-market equity-based compensation, other and interest expense as well as higher taxes.

Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav said, "Discovery delivered another quarter of strong operating results as a sustained focus on developing compelling content and leveraging it globally provided additional growth opportunities and continued financial momentum. In the U.S. we expanded market share, built new hits and capitalized on the ongoing strength of the ad market, while, internationally, we further leveraged the universal appeal of our programming and increased penetration of global pay-tv platforms to expand our unparalleled distribution footprint. Going forward we remain committed to thoughtfully investing in our brands and platforms while delivering sustained financial success and returning capital to our shareholders."

Free cash flow was $353 million for the third quarter, an increase of $39 million from the third quarter of 2011, as improved operating performance was partially offset by higher content investment and cash taxes. For the last twelve months, free cash flow increased by 13 per cent over the previous twelve month period.